Confidentiality, Data Protection & GDPR

We respect your right to privacy and keep all your health information confidential and secure. It is important that the NHS keeps accurate and up-to-date records about your health and treatment so that those treating you can give you the best possible advice and care. This information is only available to those involved in your care and you should never be asked for personal medical information by anyone not involved in your care.

You have a right to know what information we hold about you. If you would like to see your records or require a copy, please view our Access to Medical Records policy (click the link below) and complete the appropriate form.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the ‘classes’ of information the practice intends to routinely make available.

From 25th May 2018 the law is changing with the addition of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This regulation will have an impact on how we handle your data. Further information can be found on www.eugdpr.org.uk or in the following privacy notices:

Comments & Complaints

Adelaide Street Family Practice aims to give a friendly and professional service to all our patients. As a practice we are extremely proud of our GPs and staff. However, if you have any concerns about any aspect of our service, please let us know. Speak to Luan, our practice manager or our reception staff who will be happy to help. We have a practice-based complaints procedure in line with national guidelines. In the majority of cases, concerns can be resolved quite easily.

However, if you feel we have not dealt with the issues you have raised, as you would wish, you can contact the NHS England Lancashire Local Area Team on 0300 311 22 33 or email England.contactus@nhs.net

Practice Charter

The care of your health is a partnership between yourself and the primary health care team. The success of that partnership depends on an understanding of each other's needs and co-operation between us.

Our Responsibility To You:

You will be greeted courteously

You have a right to confidentiality

You have the right to see your medical records subject to the limitations of the law

You will be seen the same day if your problem is urgent

You will be seen by your own doctor whenever possible

You will be informed if there will be a delay of more than 20 minutes for your appointment

You will be referred to a consultant when your GP thinks it necessary

You will be given the result of any test or investigation on request or at your next appointment

Your repeat prescription will normally be ready for collection within 48 hours of your request

Your suggestions and comments about the services offered will be considered sympathetically and any complaint dealt with quickly

Your Responsibility To Us:

Please treat all surgery staff with the same respect - we are all just doing our job

Do not ask for information about anyone other than yourself

Tell us of any change of name or address, so that our records are accurate

Only request an urgent appointment if appropriate

Home visits should only be requested if you are really too ill to attend surgery, and night visits should be for emergencies only

Please cancel your appointment if you are unable to attend

Please be punctual, but be prepared to wait if your own consultation is delayed by an unexpected emergency

Please allow sufficient time for your consultant's letter or the results of any tests to reach us

As an employer, the practice has a duty to care for the health and safety of its staff. The practice also has a legal responsibility to provide a safe and secure working environment for staff. All patients are expected to behave in an acceptable manner and violent or abusive behaviour towards staff or patients may result in removal from our practice list or even criminal proceedings. The practice follows the NHS guidance concerning Zero Tolerance.

The Practice has a policy of “zero tolerance” of verbal and physical violence towards GP’s, staff or other patients.

The practice will request the removal of any patient from the practice list who is aggressive or abusive towards a doctor, member of staff, other patient, or who damages property.

All instances of actual physical abuse on any doctor or member of staff, by a patient or their relatives will be reported to the police as an assault.

We expect all patients to be responsible and avoid attending the surgery under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. Any alteration of prescriptions is illegal and will not be tolerated.

If you are seriously unhappy with the quality of service you have the right to register with another practice without notifying us. Similarly, on the very rare occasions when a patient repeatedly ignores their responsibilities to the Practice, we have the right to remove the patient from our Practice list.

Malicious allegations relating to members of staff, other patients or visitors.

Offensive sexual gestures or behaviours.

Abusing alcohol or drugs on practice premises.

Drug dealing on practice premises.

Wilful damage to practice property.

Threats or threatening behaviour.

Theft

ZERO TOLERANCE

Our Staff have the right to be treated with dignity and respect at all times.

They should be able to do their jobs without being PHYSICALLY or VERBALLY ABUSED

Most vast majority of our lovely patients respect this.

Anyone found abusing the staff in person or on the telephone will be asked to leave the practice.

This behaviour will NOT be tolerated

How Adelaide Street Surgery implements the NHS Constitution

Principles

The Practice:

* Provides a comprehensive service, available to all irrespective of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status, and has a duty to respect their human rights.

* Promotes equality through the service, providing and to paying particular attention to groups or sections of society where improvements in health and life expectancy are not keeping pace with the rest of the population.

* Provides access to services based on clinical need, not on an individual’s ability to pay.

* Aspires to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism, providing safe and effective high-quality care focused on patient experience.

* Ensures that it is effectively lead and managed and its staff receive relevant education, training and development.

* Its services reflect the needs and preferences of patients, their families and carers who will be involved in and consulted on all decisions about their care and treatment.

* Ensures that it works across organisational boundaries and in partnership with other organisations in the interest of patients, local communities and the wider population.

* Is accountable to the public, communities and patients that it serves.

* Supports staff when they raise concerns about the service by ensuring their concerns are fully investigated and that there is someone independent, outside of their team, to speak to.

Patient Rights

Patients have the right:

* To access NHS services and not be refused access on unreasonable grounds.

* To expect the Practice to assess the health requirements of the local community and to commission and put in place the services to meet those needs as considered necessary.

*In certain circumstances to go to other European Economic Area countries or Switzerland for treatment which would be available through the NHS.

*Not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status.

* To access services within maximum waiting times, or to be offered a range of alternative providers if this is not possible.

* To be treated with a professional standard of care, by appropriately qualified and experienced staff, in a properly approved or registered organisation that meets required levels of safety and quality.

* To be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with their human rights.

* To accept or refuse treatment that is offered, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless valid consent has been given.

* To be given information about their proposed treatment in advance, including any significant risks and any alternative treatments which may be available, and the risks involved in doing nothing.

* To privacy and confidentiality and to expect the Practice to keep their confidential information safe and secure.

* To access their own health records.

* To choose their GP practice, and to be accepted by that Practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case they will be informed of those reasons.

* To express a preference for using a particular doctor within their GP Practice.

* To make choices about their NHS care and to information to support these choices.

* To be involved in discussions and decisions about their healthcare, and to be given information to enable them to do this.

* To be involved, directly or through representatives, in the planning of healthcare services, the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and in decisions to be made affecting the operation of those services.

* To have any complaint they make about NHS services dealt with efficiently, to have it properly investigated, know the outcome and how to escalate the complaint to the independent Health Service Ombudsman.

* To make a claim for judicial review if they think they have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body.

* To compensation where they have been harmed by negligent treatment.

Patient Responsibilities

* To make a significant contribution to their own, and their family’s, good health and well-being, and take some personal responsibility for it.

* Register with a GP Practice.

* To treat NHS staff and other patients with respect and recognise that causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises could result in prosecution.

* To provide accurate information about their health, condition and status.

* To keep appointments, or cancel within reasonable time.

* To follow the course of treatment which they have agreed, and talk to their clinician if they find this difficult.

* To participate in important public health programmes such as vaccination.

* To ensure that those closest to them are aware of their wishes about organ donation.

* To give feedback – both positive and negative – about the treatment and care they have received, including any adverse reactions they may have had.

Practice Staff Rights

Practice Staff have the right:

* To a good working environment with flexible working opportunities, consistent with the needs of patients and with the way that people live their lives;

* To have a fair pay and contract framework;

* To be involved and represented in the workplace;

* To have healthy and safe working conditions and an environment free from harassment, bullying or violence;

* To be treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination; and

* To raise an internal grievance and if necessary seek redress, where it is felt that a right has not been upheld;

* To raise any concern with their employer, whether it is about safety, malpractice or other risk, in the public interest, without suffering any detriment.

NHS Pledge to Staff Members

The NHS Commits:

* To provide a positive working environment for staff and to promote supportive, open cultures that help staff do their job to the best of their ability;

* To provide all staff with clear roles and responsibilities and rewarding jobs for teams and individuals that make a difference to patients, their families and carers and communities;

* To provide all staff with personal development, access to appropriate training for their jobs and line management support to succeed;

* To provide support and opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety;

* To engage staff in decisions that affect them and the services they provide, individually, through representative organisations and through local partnership working arrangements. All staff will be empowered to put forward ways to deliver better and safer services for patients and their families;

* To have a process for staff to raise an internal grievance;

* To support all staff in raising concerns at the earliest reasonable opportunity about safety, malpractice or wrongdoing at work, responding to and, where necessary, investigating the concerns raised and acting consistently with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

Practice Staff have the duty:

* To accept professional accountability and maintain the standards of professional practice as set by the appropriate regulatory body applicable to their profession or role.

* To take reasonable care of health and safety at work for themselves, their team and others, and to co-operate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.

* To act in accordance with the express and implied terms of their contract of employment.

* Not to discriminate against patients or staff and to adhere to equal opportunities and equality and human rights legislation.

* To protect the confidentiality of personal information that they hold unless to do so would put anyone at risk of significant harm.

* To be honest and truthful in applying for a job and in carrying out that job.

* To play their part in ensuring the success of the NHS and delivering high-quality care by:

- Maintaining the highest standards of care and service, taking responsibility not only for the care they personally provide, but also for their wider contribution to the aims of their team and the NHS as a whole;

- Taking up training and development opportunities provided over and above those legally required of their particular post;

- Actively taking part in sustainably improving services by working in partnership with patients, the public and communities;

- Raising any genuine concern they may have about a risk, malpractice or wrongdoing at work (such as a risk to patient safety, fraud or breaches of patient confidentiality), which may affect patients, the public, other staff or the Practice itself, at the earliest reasonable opportunity;

- Involving patients, their families, carers or representatives fully in decisions about prevention, diagnosis, and their individual care and treatment;

- Being open with patients, their families, carers or representatives, including if anything goes wrong; welcoming and listening to feedback and addressing concerns promptly and in a spirit of co-operation;

- Contributing to a climate where the truth can be heard, the reporting of, and learning from errors is encouraged and colleagues are supported where errors are made;

- Viewing the services they provide from the standpoint of a patient, and involve patients, their families and carers in the services they provide, working with them, their communities and other organisations, and making it clear who is responsible for their care.

- To take every appropriate opportunity to encourage and support patients and colleagues to improve their health and wellbeing;

- To contribute towards providing fair and equitable services for all and play your part, wherever possible, in helping to reduce inequalities in experience, access or outcomes between differing groups or sections of society requiring health care;

- To inform patients about the use of their confidential information and to record their objections, consent or dissent; and

- To provide access to a patient’s information to other relevant professionals, always doing so securely, and only where there is a legal and appropriate basis to do so.